


What is Different Now

by onceuponamemory



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M, Post-Season/Series 03, Reunion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-08-15 14:24:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8059762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onceuponamemory/pseuds/onceuponamemory
Summary: Phryne returns to Melbourne after taking her father to England.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hello, Jack.”

He looked up when he heard her voice. He was sure his surprise was plain on his face, and her slow smile seemed to verify that it was, indeed, obvious. 

“Phryne. When did you arrive?” He’d known she was on her way back to Melbourne from England, but he hadn’t known to expect her today. Jack stood up as she sashayed into his office.

“Just last night. I telephoned, but you were at a crime scene.” Phryne threw a small pouty look his way. “I thought about surprising you there, but it turned out I was quite tired from the flight. I made a rather early night of it, which is how I happen to be here at this terrible hour.” She’d posed herself in her usual place on the corner of his desk by this point. It took all of his self control not to reach out to touch her. She was so close now, and after months away with only a few letters and telegrams between them, he missed her more than he wanted to admit.

“It’s not even half nine, Miss Fisher,” he said with a smirk. This is what he missed most. The playfulness they shared. He didn’t have this kind of playfulness with many people. Well, he didn’t have it with anyone else if he was being honest with himself.

She gave a small smile with a shrug. “I missed you, Jack,” she said quietly. She met his gaze with an open vulnerability she didn’t often show. Jack lifted his hand to her cheek, and Phryne’s eyes fluttered closed for just a moment before they opened again to meet his. Looking for consent in her eyes, he leaned in to press his lips to hers. She responded immediately. Her hands moving to touch him on his chest and waist. The kiss was slow, perhaps a bit cautious as they were both uncertain about the next steps and where they might lead. But it was full of emotion. They had both become quite certain of how they felt about each other in their time apart. Their letters had come close to sharing their hearts, but not quite. Jack was far too measured and cautious by nature to write his love for her the way he wanted to, and Phryne was still trying to understand how she had fallen in love at all to be ready to write the words so freely.

As they broke the kiss, Phryne murmured, “Kissing in your office, Jack? I wasn’t sure you would.”

“Don’t have me pegged yet, Miss Fisher?” he asked with a smirk.

“My never-ending source of mystery,” Phryne smiled widely and straightened Jack’s tie, which had been perfectly straight to begin with. They stayed like that for a moment, each willing the other to understand the depth of their feelings without words, each thankful that it seemed they could still communicate so much without speaking after the months apart. 

A knock and a hesitant voice turned their attention away from each other. “Pardon the interruption, sir. The photographs from the crime scene have arrived.” Hugh Collins wore an apologetic look as he brought the manila envelope into the room and handed it over. 

“Thank you, Collins,” Jack stated by way of dismissal as he took the envelope and emptied the photos on his desk. Phryne leaned over with a curious eye. “Anything interesting?” she asked. He smirked at her. It was good to have her back, he thought.

They spent the next couple of hours poring over the photographs and discussing the details of the case. As usual, Phryne would offer her theories, and Jack would throw out questions to possibly refute her. He didn’t think he was imagining the sparkle in her eyes as they went about their back and forth, and he thought that she went out of her way to brush her hand against his casually as they passed photos and notes back and forth. After the third time, he was sure of it. He leaned back in his chair and didn’t bother to hide the fact that his eyes were drawn to her legs. She was smiling when he dragged his eyes up to hers again.

He tilted his head in question. “I think this merits another visit to the crime scene, and perhaps a discussion with our victim’s business partner.” Jack stood to pick up his coat and hat from the stand near his desk. “Will you be joining me, Miss Fisher?”

Phryne sighed. “I wish I could, Jack, really. But I’m due at Aunt Prudence’s for luncheon.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m quite sure she just wants to press me for details on my parents’ reunion and regale me with the latest in Melbourne society gossip I’ve missed over the last few months. Trust me, a crime scene and an interview with a potential murderer would be much preferred.” She stood, still close to Jack. Neither moved away. “I’ve promised my evening to Jane. I actually do want to hear about what I’ve missed with her.” Pause. Her hand on the lapel of his overcoat. “But if you’re free later this evening, Jack, I’d love for you to join me for a nightcap. You could update me on the case.” Her sultry look made it clear that she didn’t intend for the visit to be completely professional

“Of course,” Jack said with that small smile of his that she loved so much. “I’ll see you later, Phryne.” 

She smiled and sashayed out of his office. She threw a look over her shoulder on her way out to see if he was watching her. He was, of course.


	2. Chapter 2

“Good evening, inspector. Nice to see you again,” Mr. Butler said as he took Jack’s hat and coat that evening. 

“Thank you, Mr. Butler. Likewise.”

The parlor doors opened at that moment, and Jane emerged. She greeted Jack with a warm hello and bid him goodnight before heading up the stairs. 

Mr. Butler led Jack into Miss Fisher’s familiar parlor intending to announce the guest, but Phryne jumped up before he could. “Jack! Perfect timing! Let me get you a drink.” Mr. Butler disappeared discreetly as his mistress poured a whiskey for the inspector. Jack walked over the fireplace to take his usual place. He suppressed a smile at his giddiness. It felt so familiar to be here again, and yet there was something different about it too. This kisses they’d shared now. The almost declarations in their letters. And the flirtatious looks earlier that day. He hadn’t been sure what to expect when she returned, and he’d been nervous about it. At this moment, though, he was feeling far more confident than he had been.

“So how did it go this afternoon with the business partner?” Phryne asked as she handed Jack his drink.

He took a sip and set the glass on the mantle. “We’ll get to that. But first.” He slid an arm around her waist and the other hand tangled into her hair. He pressed his lips to hers in a far less cautious kiss than before. She responded immediately with her arms circling his waist underneath his suit jacket. She pressed her body to his, and his arm tightened around her back. Phryne hummed in satisfaction as they slowly broke the kiss. Jack pulled away only just far enough to speak quietly, “You were right. The business partner admitted to the murder after we found the knife exactly where you thought it would be.” He didn’t give her time to respond before kissing her again.

“Are you trying to distract me from the fact that I was right and you were wrong, Inspector?” Phryne murmured when they finally broke away again.

“Is it working?” Jack asked with a small smirk as he kissed along her jawline. He took her earlobe between his teeth.

“Perhaps,” Phryne practically gasped.

Infuriatingly, Jack pulled away then. He looked a bit mischievous and rather pleased with himself as he took his drink in one hand and pulled her over to the chaise. “Let’s sit,” he said. “I want to hear about your adventure.”

Phryne let herself be led. She did so like this confident Jack. She sat close to him on the chaise and drew her legs up underneath her, pulling her shoes off as she did so. Jack put an arm around her gently. Phryne shivered as his hand lightly caressed her arm as he waited for her to get comfortable.

“It was rather a whirlwind actually. I was so focused on getting there than we hardly left the plane the whole way to England. It was more time than I’ve spent with my father in years, and, frankly, it was rather trying. I’m sure he was on his best behavior, but still there were so many times when I wondered why exactly I thought this was a good idea.” She paused. She felt like she wanted to tell him something of her heart. Sitting her with him, with his arm around her, Phryne felt tongue tied by all that she had wanted to say to him while she was away. She shifted her gaze away from his to settle her thoughts. “I wouldn’t have, you know. A year ago, I would have laughed at my father’s declaration of love and devotion to my mother. Well, yelled and said nasty things more likely. I never would have believed him then.”

“What’s different now?” Jack’s soft question drew her eyes back to his for a moment. His fingers had intertwined with hers and rested on her knees, which were pressed up against his thigh. Cuddling on the chaise lounge in her parlor had never felt so intimate, she thought. Everything is different now. The thought startled her. She let it linger for a moment, let it settle. Jack waited for her answer. His eyes were warm, not demanding. The small movements of his hands kept her grounded in the moment next to him. She loved him in a way she had never thought possible. She’d realized it somewhere between Australia and England, and now she finally had a chance to tell him. 

Instead, she kissed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's fairly tame as far as smut is concerned, but it's my first real attempt at it so .... here goes nothing!

Phryne lost herself in the kisses for a while. She couldn’t have said who initiated their shift in position, but the fact remained that she was now reclining on the chaise with Jack’s body pressed over her gently. She was fairly sure she was responsible for Jack’s suit jacket having been discarded, his tie loosened, and the top button of his shirt undone. She smiled with a wicked delight at the sight of a disheveled Jack Robinson kissing her neck with his hands moving on her body. 

Perhaps she should suggest moving upstairs, she thought before she second guessed herself. What if he said no? It suddenly occurred to her that she didn’t know what his intentions were or where his boundaries were drawn. That wasn’t something she usually had to worry about with the men she brought home. It was always quite clear that their intentions were leading to the bedroom and that was that. This, she felt, was different. She was quite sure of that. But how different, she was not sure at all.

Jack sensed a subtle shift, and he stilled for a moment with one hand on Phryne’s hip fingertips underneath her untucked blouse. “Are you all right?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, of course. I’m--” she had been surprised at his question. But, then again, of course Jack would be able to tell that something was wrong. He interrupted her before she could assure him that it wasn’t _him_ that was wrong “Phryne, if you don’t want to--” 

Now she interrupted with a finger to his lips for effect. “I want this, Jack. I want you.” She paused a moment as she noticed his eyes darken with desire at her words. “I want us,” Phryne finished softly and pulled him in for a kiss before he could say anything she wasn’t ready for. As their lips parted, she murmured, “Will you come upstairs with me?” When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her closely as though he was searching her soul. 

“Yes,” he finally said. He leaned in for a quick kiss before he pushed himself up and offered her a hand. Phryne took Jack’s hand and held it with their fingers intertwined as she led him up the stairs. They didn’t talk, but Jack’s thumb made small movements against the back of her hand that had Phryne breathless. At her bedroom door, she turned to look at him. If he was at all uncertain,this wouldn’t work. His eyes met hers with warmth and desire. There was no uncertainty there. Phryne opened the door and pulled him inside.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. He responded immediately by wrapping his arms around her. She pressed her lips to his in a slow, sensuous kiss. “I want this, Jack. I want you. I want us.” She repeated her words from downstairs while undoing the knot of his tie. As she slid the tie out from his collar, he pulled her into a hungry kiss. The tie was tossed aside with little care as to where it landed. It was followed closely by the rest of their clothes until they were both standing in their underthings as they kissed and caressed eagerly.

They didn’t break their embrace as they moved to the bed. Phryne felt the edge of the bed against her legs just before they tumbled back onto the bed less than elegantly. She let a breathless giggle escape, and Jack caught her eye with a playful smile. But they kept kissing and caressing each one hoping to show the other that this would not be lost so easily.

“Protection?” Jack asked. “I have a French letter.”

Phryne shook her head. “I’m prepared.” She gasped as he took her nipple in his mouth after freeing her from her camisole.”Jack…” she moaned.

“Hm? What do you want, Phryne? Tell me.”

What she wanted was for him to never stop saying her name the way he did. To never stop touching her, she thought as his hand moved inside her knickers. His thumb found her most sensitive spot and began to move. Even those small movements threatened to put her over the edge. “Jack, I want you now. All of you.” Phryne’s words were rushed and breathless, but Jack’s movements were slow and deliberate as he pushed her underwear down kissing her body as he went. Once he had rid them both of the last of their clothing, he covered her body again. She could feel every part of him against every part of her as they came together, as they found a rhythm. 

She shuddered against him as she climaxed, and she felt him pulled over the edge along with her. Jack murmured soft words that she couldn’t quite understand against her skin as they both convulsed. Phryne held him tightly to her not wanting this moment to end. He took the cue and stayed where he was simply showering her neck and shoulders with soft kisses and quiet words. _Jack. My Jack_ , she thought with a sudden surge of tenderness. She turned her head to the side in an attempt to hide the tears that filled her eyes. She tried to blink them away quickly only to feel Jack kissing the corners of her eyes. “It’s all right, Phryne,” he spoke so softly, she was hardly sure she heard him. She let out a small sob, and Jack shifted to the side to hold her close to him. 

They were quiet for a long time. Phryne thought Jack might have fallen asleep. But when she whispered, “You’ll stay?” he replied right away: “I’ll stay.”


End file.
